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SLMM firm on state delineation demand; next meeting on Friday

The three-party team hold talks with the representatives of the agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha at Singha Durbar in Kathmandu on Wednesday. The second round of talks ended inconclusively after the Morcha insisted that their demand for delinea PRAKASH TIMILSENA

Oct 8, 2015-

For the second consecutive day, the official talks between the cross-party panel representing three major parties and the agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) ended inconclusively after the latter reiterated their demand of demarcating two sates in the Tarai immediately.

“There was no proposal from the major parties on state delineation. It has asked for one more day for preparation,” Co-Chairman of Sadbhawana Party Laxman Lal Karna, a member of the SLMM talks team said after the meeting on Wednesday. The next meeting will sit on Friday.

The SLMM has forwarded over two dozen demands, including state delineation, proportional inclusive representation in government agencies, allocation of electoral constituencies based on population, revision of the constituencies every 10 years and allowing individuals with naturalised citizenship to hold executive posts.

In Wednesday’s meeting, the major parties asked the SLMM to move ahead through political consensus and decide the issue of federalism based on the report tabled by the proposed federal commission, but the latter turned down the suggestion.

Arguing that the formal talks have already begun, the cross-party panel also requested the SLMM to end the obstructions at borders. This request, too, fell flat. The Morcha talks team said the protest at Nepal-India border was launched after the government side turned deaf ear to its protest and it would continue.

Forest Minister Mahesh Acharya, a member of the cross-party panel, said they will put in more effort to reach an agreement with the SLMM in the next meeting.

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